I finally got the Tacoma Ive been looking for a couple days ago & after months of research I think Im going with the 5100s+Eibachs @ .85 in the front & a 1.5" AAL in the rear. I have a couple of questions so please share some wisdom.. please keep in mine I used to be a Jeep guy so Im new to these lift options

1. How do you "set the Eibachs @.85" - Toytec has a "Toytec/5100 Coilover" pair for $549.99 that claims they are preset at 3" is that what I need ?? do i adjust the settings for .85 or is that what the 3" is ??

2. Will this set up have a level stance ??

3. I do not plan to run 285s because I dont want to have to trim much or chop the cab mount, yet. but will this set up allow me to run 275x70x17s or should I stick with a good 265x75x16??

4. Does this set up have any room to grow? I know the 5100s are adjustable but... - how much actual lift will i get with the 5100/Eibachs @.85 & 1.5" AAL ?? and what would need to be changed in this set up if in the future I decide to upgrade to a 285 Tire ??

Ive heard all the talk about Dakar leaf packs & Full OME kits and all that good dreamy stuff but my offroading is limited to camping & hunting & my complete lift budget is <$1000, which is why I chose this set up. any input would would appreciated. thanks.

1. How do you "set the Eibachs @.85" - Toytec has a "Toytec/5100 Coilover" pair for $549.99 that claims they are preset at 3" is that what I need ?? do i adjust the settings for .85 or is that what the 3" is ?? The 5100's have 4 settings on them, 0, .85, 1.75 and 2.5. You have to put a retainer ring in one of the notches on the front 5100, then put the coil and top plate on. In order to change the setting, you need to disassemble the coil. The Toytec/5100 coil kit has an adjustable collar that you can use a spanner wrench to adjust preload therefore adjusting your ride height. The 5100/Eibach set-up is different from the Toytec/5100 adjustable coil kit. Also, once you start going above 2.5" of lift, you might end up needing new UCA's to get your alignment within spec.

2. Will this set up have a level stance ?? Eibachs on 5100's at .85 and a 1.5" AAL will be fairly level, maybe a tiny bit of rake left. It also would depend on whether or not you've had the suspension TSB performed. Does your Tacoma have 3 leafs and an overload or 2 leafs and an overload?

3. I do not plan to run 285s because I dont want to have to trim much or chop the cab mount, yet. but will this set up allow me to run 275x70x17s or should I stick with a good 265x75x16?? You could run 265/70R17 or 265/75R16 no problem. You might have some slight rubbing with 275/70R17's.

4. Does this set up have any room to grow? I know the 5100s are adjustable but... - how much actual lift will i get with the 5100/Eibachs @.85 & 1.5" AAL ?? and what would need to be changed in this set up if in the future I decide to upgrade to a 285 Tire ?? You can put 285's on at any time, just depends on when you want to trim. You can't go any higher with that set-up though.

Ive heard all the talk about Dakar leaf packs & Full OME kits and all that good dreamy stuff but my offroading is limited to camping & hunting & my complete lift budget is <$1000, which is why I chose this set up. any input would would appreciated. thanks. 5100's and Eibachs are about the same cost as 5100's and OME coils. I think the Nitrochargers are a bit more expensive than the 5100's but if you want an OME kit, don't waste your time with the 5100/Eibach set-up. I believe the Dakars will give you about 2-2.5" of rear lift depending on the model of your truck. You can add them later if you wish but you'd be over your $1,000 budget if you added them now.

I want to stay under 3" right now strickly to avoid the chance of new UCAs. So if I understand this correctly, I need to purchase the 5100s & some Coil springs (Eibachs or 885s ?) and put them together... with a spring compressor im guessing ?? does any of that come with a "top plate" or is that also a seperate purchase ??

Also i have a 2010, without the TSB. I was debating if I need to go through the trouble of having it done if Im going to do a 1.5" or 2" AAL anyway

I want to stay under 3" right now strickly to avoid the chance of new UCAs. So if I understand this correctly, I need to purchase the 5100s & some Coil springs (Eibachs or 885s ?) and put them together... with a spring compressor im guessing ?? does any of that come with a "top plate" or is that also a seperate purchase ??

Also i have a 2010, without the TSB. I was debating if I need to go through the trouble of having it done if Im going to do a 1.5" or 2" AAL anyway

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If you have a 4x4, you need to stay under 3" anyways otherwise your CV's and boots will hate you. There's no good way to lift a Tacoma over 3" up front other than solid axle swap. The only other way is a drop bracket lift. Anything over 2.5" is where you should start considering UCA's.

You would re use your existing top plates otherwise you would need to buy them new. The pre-assembled coils, like the toytec ones you mentioned or the Eibach/5100 with top plate spacer (you'll see them on their website, it's a preassembled coil for a true 3" lift) will come with a top plate. Otherwise, yes, you would need to assemble your own coils using a compressor.

FWIW, putting an AAL on a new leaf pack would hold up much better than putting it on an old, saggy leaf pack. If the leaf pack is already sagging, an AAL is just a band aid.

I was in the same boat as you. I decided on Bilstein 5100's on all four corners, Eibach Springs up Front (5100's set to 0), and an Alcan custom leaf pack with a 2" lift height over stock (due to the 280lb Flippac camper shell on the bed). Oh yeah, 265/75/16 Duratracs as well.

So here is what I found out with this lift:
-I have a slight rake from back to front (nose is lower by a slight noticable amount)
-No drive line vibrations
-No issues with the CV boots or Upper control arms
-Ride is far superior to stock, less roll in corners, smoother at highway speed, no shock fading on long bumpy trails
-Looks tits!
-265/75/16 tires stuff completely with no rubbing in all wheel wells
-Still average 19mpg's
-Less than $1,000 in parts (DIY labor)

So, my thoughts would be that with the Eibachs/5100's set a .85 and a 1.5" aal in the back you will ride like a baja Pre-runner (ass-low) and your front end will be even stiffer as you are pre-loading that coil more. You should definetly address the rear struts as well if you are lifting that critter.

I did all of the install on my own, with no spring compressor, by myself. I used a technique that some dude came up with on his '05 4Runner using a floor jack to take the compression out of the coils nice and controlled-like. The whole install took me less than 8 hours, just be sure to have an impact wrench (holy-shit have an impact wrench, or you shouldn't even think about this DIY project).

My opinion to improve off road capacity with a minimal set up is to get better tires that allow the full articulation of the suspension, not necessarily bigger meats. If you can't get it done with 265/75/16's your clearance is probably the least of your issues (read: winch needed, armor, sober spotter, misc. recovery gear). Some might not agree, but whatever.

The gist of it is to jack the truck up, put jack stands behind the front wheel (being worked on) and the opposite back wheel (stabilization purposes, mind you). At this point I don't remember exactly what I did, but:
-Wheel off. Lower Control Arm off (+ other minor odds and ends like the sway bar, etc.
-Place floor jack under the strut and compress
-You know that center bolt in the Coil assembly that everyone says NOT To Remove?? Remove it.
-Release the jack, nice and easy like. This will extend the strut in a controlled environment, then you just go backwards with the work.

Again, I can't remember all of the logistics of the work; but the basic concept is to use the floor jack to control the release of the coil tension. There was a write up on it for a 3rd gen 4runner that I reviewed first and it made total sense.

I was in the same boat as you. I decided on Bilstein 5100's on all four corners, Eibach Springs up Front (5100's set to 0), and an Alcan custom leaf pack with a 2" lift height over stock (due to the 280lb Flippac camper shell on the bed). Oh yeah, 265/75/16 Duratracs as well.

So here is what I found out with this lift:
-I have a slight rake from back to front (nose is lower by a slight noticable amount)
-No drive line vibrations
-No issues with the CV boots or Upper control arms
-Ride is far superior to stock, less roll in corners, smoother at highway speed, no shock fading on long bumpy trails
-Looks tits!
-265/75/16 tires stuff completely with no rubbing in all wheel wells
-Still average 19mpg's
-Less than $1,000 in parts (DIY labor)

So, my thoughts would be that with the Eibachs/5100's set a .85 and a 1.5" aal in the back you will ride like a baja Pre-runner (ass-low) and your front end will be even stiffer as you are pre-loading that coil more. You should definetly address the rear struts as well if you are lifting that critter.

I did all of the install on my own, with no spring compressor, by myself. I used a technique that some dude came up with on his '05 4Runner using a floor jack to take the compression out of the coils nice and controlled-like. The whole install took me less than 8 hours, just be sure to have an impact wrench (holy-shit have an impact wrench, or you shouldn't even think about this DIY project).

My opinion to improve off road capacity with a minimal set up is to get better tires that allow the full articulation of the suspension, not necessarily bigger meats. If you can't get it done with 265/75/16's your clearance is probably the least of your issues (read: winch needed, armor, sober spotter, misc. recovery gear). Some might not agree, but whatever.

So yeah, that is all.

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I think Ive decided to go 5100s all around, with the OME 885s set at 0 in the front. Im getting the TSB done & the 1.5" AAL. this should be level, maybe a slight front rake, correct ?? I damn sure dont wanna be ass-low. I actually have a spring compressor & Impact wrench thanks to my 2 day ordeal of installing a lift on my Jeep.. If that is similar to the set up you have in your pics Im happy with that, its exactly the look Im going for. I dont plan on doing any serious offroading, this is just for hunting, camping, light trail riding, & being a little beffier & all around better looking that all these stock Tacomas ridin' around town. I think ive decided on the 265x75x16s too, just seems like there are alot more options in good tires for that size. the Duratracs seem great.

Do you have your stock UCAs ?? did you add any kind of spacers on the front?? did you have to add wheel spacers ?? did you do the diff drop or get longer break lines ?? & do you happen to have measurements of total actual lift height with your set up ??

The gist of it is to jack the truck up, put jack stands behind the front wheel (being worked on) and the opposite back wheel (stabilization purposes, mind you). At this point I don't remember exactly what I did, but:
-Wheel off. Lower Control Arm off (+ other minor odds and ends like the sway bar, etc.
-Place floor jack under the strut and compress
-You know that center bolt in the Coil assembly that everyone says NOT To Remove?? Remove it.
-Release the jack, nice and easy like. This will extend the strut in a controlled environment, then you just go backwards with the work.

Again, I can't remember all of the logistics of the work; but the basic concept is to use the floor jack to control the release of the coil tension. There was a write up on it for a 3rd gen 4runner that I reviewed first and it made total sense.

Click to expand...

Interesting... Sounds like a good idea in a pinch! I'd be a little more nervous doing the reverse since it's a stiffer coil going back in but I like the intuition!

skan skeeny, what was you final lift height, did you go a full 3" or around 2? would love to see pics of your truck. im looking into doing the same, and if you didnt have to get new UCAs then im all in.

Yeah, no- the whole install-with-the-floor-jack trick was actually more confidence inspiring to me after I put a spring compressor on the Eibachs- Jay-sus those things are sketchy!!

Chace334,
the 5100's with the OME coils, TSB and the 1.5" aal should put you in a sick looking aggressive stance that your looking for. I found it takes more lift in the back than the front to achieve height.
I have stock UCA's, no spacer on the front, stock OR 16" rims/no wheel spacers, no diff drop, stock brake lines, and my alignment is spot on- better than any vehicle I have had to date.
I don't have the measurements, but will try to remember to get them for you.

My intention was just to be able to handle the Flippac, as I thought the Tacoma was a pretty stable platform to begin with. Once I got the lift and the tires though- Holy Shit I have rallied up some gnarly trails in Colorado. Some of the trails I've had people on atv's staring at me like I was crazy (but I'm the one with a cooler full of beer and food!). Lock up the rear and let that bitch creep up some shit- this done with my wife as my spotter (yikes). I also pay $350 a month for my truck so I don't go looking for anything with names like: Carnage Canyon, Holy Cross Trail, or 'The Widowmaker' if you get my drift. Still, I haven't had to turn around on a single trail that I have met... yet.

Umm, I beleive I got a full 2" in the rear and 1.5" in the front. The Eibachs haven't sagged a bit and the Alcan leaf springs were engineered to be at 2" with the weight of the Flippac and all my gear (best mod to date).
If I take the topper off it looks like an old '72 Nova jacked up in the back l(ike how some dudes like muscle cars) and it rides kind of like a hay wagon